Capital Campaign
Campaign Overview
“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind.” — Luke 10:27
Heart. Soul. Mind. Strength. We see these words often in our church’s publications or on the church’s website. These words guide us in carrying out our mission. They help us refine who we are and what we will do to advance God’s reign in Laurens and throughout the world. Our mission is to enable and encourage everyone to live in a fully committed relationship with God.
“Love your neighbor as yourself.” — Luke 10:27
Our relationship with God is wrapped up in our relationships with other people: our family of origin, our current family members, our church friends, neighbors, work colleagues, citizens, and everyone, even if they are not like us. Everyone has been created in God’s image, is God’s child, and is our neighbor. We are ONE FAMILY.
We have ONE MISSION in Christ
Our church has a strong presence in Laurens. We are welcoming new members every month. We are growing in our children’s ministry and our youth ministry. Our church family is learning, being and doing the Jesus way of living. We want to be faithful stewards of this trend. That is why we are entering a capital campaign so that we can better be God’s ONE FAMILY in church, in Laurens and in the world as well as carry out God’s ONE MISSION.
Project Overview
“Go and do likewise.” — Luke 10:37
What Jesus said 2,000 years ago is still true today. Living with one another as ONE FAMILY, we love God as we carry out God’s ONE MISSION. That is the goal of our capital campaign. We will raise money and we will repair and renovate so that more people will know the peace and joy of loving God and welcoming and serving others.
This capital campaign will raise additional giving from you our members. Your outright gifts and three-year pledges of over and above giving will pay for:
One: Four New Youth Classrooms
Our youth ministry is thriving and the church is in need of additional space to continue this good work. We will make use of existing, underutilized space in the racquetball courts in the Family Life Center to create a space for our growing youth membership.
Two: Classroom Renovations in the Education Building
Just as our youth ministry is thriving, our ministries and education efforts are growing across the board. We are in need of modernized classroom space to serve the growing needs of our congregation.
Three: Easterby Chapel Renovations
We will renovate and modernize this space to create a flexible space for small to medium sized group worship and activities, including updated audiovisual equipment and an interior design that will make better use of this space.
Four: Installing a kitchen in the Family Life Center
The Family Life Center has grown to be our primary space for large events such as Wednesday Night Supper, lunches, and receptions. We will create a kitchen in this space to more effectively host these family and church gatherings.
The Cost
These necessary repairs and renovations will cost between $1,610,000 to $2,285,000 according to our architect. We are attempting to raise $1,750,000 in campaign gifts and pledges. We sincerely think that our project costs may be in the lower range and that our financial goal can be met and even exceeded. When the projects are completed, we will have improved facilities for ministry, outreach and our mission activities.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is “ONE FAMILY | ONE MISSION”?
What Is Included In the Project?
2. Renovated Education Space
3. Renovation of Easterby Chapel
4. New Kitchen for the Family Life Center.
What Will All This Cost?
Who Are the Campaign Leaders?
Vicki Shearer – Administrative
Rickie Shearer – Advance Commitment
Nancy Thompson – Children
Josh Black – Communication
Sonja Croker – Gatherings
Meg Turner – Major Event
Betty Lynn Cadle – Spiritual Emphasis
Chris & Brook England – Student
Will My Gift Be Confidential?
When Will I Make My Commitment?
What If I Have Other Questions?
Also, please watch for items mailed to your home: Campaign Newsletters and an Invitation to a campaign event on Sunday, March 11.
Why Are We in a Campaign?
What Are the Benefits?
What Are the Goals Of the Campaign?
Our financial goal is to raise $1.75 Million or more.
What Will I Be Asked To Do?
What Types of Gifts Are Given?
Are We Going To Hear a Lot about Money?
What Can I Do To Help?
If you have not yet been asked to help, contact Holly Welch, Campaign Manager, and she will help you find what works best for you to do.
Guide to Giving
There are several ways to give, and you might consider consulting with a qualified professional about which ways might be best for you. Once you understand that your gift is prompted by your response to God’s love, it seems appropriate to find other ways of giving that will enable you to give more than you would be able to give out of your regular income.
Practice priority budgeting.
Priority budgeting means bringing spending and giving in line with a person’s highest values and priorities. A campaign commitment can reflect how important your faith and church is to you. Priority budgeting may require postponing expenditures and/or reducing expenses.
Redirect present expenditures.
As current obligations expire during the three-year giving period of the capital campaign, it is often feasible to redirect those expenditures to the capital campaign. Ask yourself the question: What reduction in expenses or consumer loans do you see coming that could be redirected to make a larger gift than you might have thought?
Increase giving with increased income.
For people who receive periodic salary increases of bonuses, increasing giving as income increases is an excellent strategy for committing to a multi-year campaign.
Give tangible personal property.
Sometimes we have more than we need. Ask yourself the question: What do I have that I no longer use or need that I could sell and transform into a contribution?
Commit unexpected cash.
Occasionally, unexpected windfalls happen. Ask yourself the question: Have I received money that I didn’t expect that I could commit to the campaign?
Sacrifice your extra time.
“Time is money,” it is said, and some of us have more time than money! Are ther enjoyable and meaningful income-producing opportunities available to you that would enhance your gift?
Give gifts in kind.
Gifts-in-kind consist of materials, equipment, furnishings and professional or licensed services. These gifts are commonly from the businesses or profession of an individual. The Campaign and Church Leadership will review the nature of each such gift.
Give a paid-up life insurance policy.
Life insurance policies that are paid up with no further premiums due can be given. The donor changes the policy to make the church the owner and the beneficiary of the policy.
Make a bequest / Set up a trust.
Sometimes a larger gift can be made from one’s estate. A simple bequest in a simple will accounts for 90% of all estate gifts. When an estate is large and somewhat complicated, then a
Donate appreciated assets.
By transferring appreciated stock owned longer than one year to the church, the donor avoid capital gains tax on the sale of the asset. In addition, the donor receives an income tax charitable deduction for the full market value of the asset of the date of transfer of ownership.
News
More Examples of Campaign Gifts
The following examples of campaign giving come from the campaigns that our consultant Ruben Swint has led through the years. A lady who supported her family by cleaning houses looked forward each day to her “Pepsi Break.” She decided she could give something by not...
ONE FAMILY | ONE MISSION
A gift of cash that is in addition to regular tithes and offerings A three year commitment to give cash over and above tithes and offerings Stocks, mutual funds, and bonds. Gifts of appreciated financial assets may provide you with tax savings. Check with your...
Commitment Questions & Answers
Q. What is the purpose of the commitment cards? A. Our church is facing a very large financial endeavor. To use our financial resources wisely we must have an accurate indication of our cash flow for the immediate future. Completed commitment cards enable our church...
What Is God Leading You to Give?
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Examples of Campaign Gifts
The following examples of sacrificial giving come from the campaigns that our consultant Ruben Swint has led through the years. A couple took the money that they had been saving for a home renovation project and gave it to their church along with making a monthly...
What Is My Part?
Our ONE FAMILY | ONE MISSION capital campaign is seeking gifts and commitments to give that are “over and above” the members’ regular giving that supports the annual ministry plan. How does a person or family decide on what amount they will give? A story comes to...
The Decision Process for ONE FAMILY | ONE MISSION
During the campaign everyone is asked to pray and to follow God’s direction in deciding to give over and above their current giving through a sacrificial commitment to give for three years. The following process has led many people to the joy of discovering what God...
Advance Commitment Opportunity
One of the key factors that makes for successful capital campaigns is for some members to make early campaign commitments that can be totaled and shared with the rest of the congregation before they make their commitments.
Campaign Events & Activities
February 4, 11, 18, 25 Campaign Sundays with sermons and testimonies February 11 Advance Commitment Lunch after worship service February 25 Announcement of Advance Commitment totals March 11 Major Event with Commitment Worship Service April 1 Beginning...
ONE FAMLY | ONE MISSION
The ONE FAMILY | ONE MISSION campaign was presented to the congregation on January 21 and campaign materials were distributed on January 21 and 28.